


in here

by TheQueenInTheNorth



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-10-26 06:07:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20737451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheQueenInTheNorth/pseuds/TheQueenInTheNorth
Summary: Kasius spends too much time in Shaw's virtual world for Sinara's liking - so she goes to find out why.





	in here

Kasius had taken to visiting Shaw's little computer simulation a worrying amount lately.

There wasn’t much to do in exile, Sinara knew that well enough. But the virtual reality could be dangerous, if you overindulged. It was easy to get lost, have it seem more real than anything outside, if you didn’t want the outside to be the thing that was actually real.

And why would he want exile to be real?

So she waited, one day, until she was sure he’d be lost in whatever dream world the programmes offered him, then she followed him down to Shaw’s den.

She stepped through the unpleasant, uninviting corridors that housed the respite from reality that so many here craved. Kasius was, unsurprisingly, at the end of the corridor, where Shaw’d managed a few nicer cubicles, for his Kree guests.

The recliners here were very nearly comfortable, the floors as close to clean as anything on a Terran level could get. Kasius looked the same he did asleep.

She’d fallen asleep in his bed a handful of times, not catching herself in time. He’d never asked her to leave, but he’d never asked her to stay, either, so she slipped out of his bed every time. Sometimes, though, just sometimes, she watched him sleep for a bit before she left.

She brushed her fingers across his cheek and pretended not to startle when Shaw appeared at her shoulder, nervous and wringing his hands, a too bright smile painted on his face.

“I need to go in,”Sinara said.

“Of course.” Shaw’s smile became a little less forced. She watched his throat work as he swallowed hard. His hands were clean, one single traitor nail chewed to the stump, and he gestured to the adjacent cubicle.“That one’s free. An hour on me, and you can put in a word for me when I need it?”

Not wasting opportunity. She could very nearly respect that. She tilted her head, her hand dropping to Kasius’ shoulder.“I need to go into his simulation.”

His eyes widened, the smile slipped off his face completely. He shook his head. His hands shook all by themselves.

Sinara just kept looking at him.

“He said not to disturb him,”Shaw said finally. 

“I’m not a disturbance.”

Shaw flinched.“I meant no offence - I didn’t - perhaps I could pull him out of the framework?”

“I need to go in,”Sinara repeated. It wasn’t true, of course. She wanted to go in. Wanted to know how Kasius spent his time, how he kept himself going in exile, while she had nothing to do but whip his soldiers and Inhumans into shape. While she had even more hours of boredom to fill, without him chattering away at her while she rolled her eyes and hid her smiles.

“Kasius may have you killed for letting me in,”Sinara admitted.“He may order me to tear out your heart. But he might not. There’s no ‘might’ about me ripping your heart out if you refuse.”

Shaw was pale and he was shaking but he was nodding, too, and that was all that mattered.

She took another look at Kasius’ relaxed face as she waited for Shaw to set everything up. The freckles were hidden under the layer of make-up. When he slept, properly, she could count them, if she wanted to.

She hadn’t really thought about what she might find, had made no guesses at where Kasius pretended to spent his time. Had she taken a moment to imagine what she would find, she would not have expected chambers not much different from the ones he actually had, the biggest deviation the bright sunlight and thriving gardens outside the huge windows and sliding doors.

Kasius sat on the couch with his back to her and there was someone with him.

Sinara swallowed around the sudden lump in her throat. Her fingernails dug into her palms as Kasius leaned even closer to the woman.

Perhaps she should have known that she was not enough of a distraction, not enough of a substitute for whoever there was back in the capital. Perhaps she was a fool for the sight of his fingers tangling in long, black hair turning her chest cold and tight, her stomach twisting.

Kasius said something she was too far away to catch and the woman laughed, a sound that was oddly familiar.

The woman got up and Sinara recognised Kasius’ shirt on her before she recognised the scar on her upper thigh and the tilt of her head.

It was disconcerting to watch herself stride across the room. A perfect replica down to the way she pulled her hair over one shoulder, all bits and bytes but somehow all her, anyway.

The fake disappeared into the bedroom. Kasius rose, probably to follow her.

Sinara stopped trying to make sense of it, of his fake world, his escape, being her, when she was there, outside the virtual reality.

She stepped further into the room."So what does she do that I don't do?"

Kasius startled, spinning around to face her.“Sinara!”

“Yes, darling?”the fake responded before Sinara could, leaning around the doorway to the bedroom. She frowned as she saw her double.“What -”

She blinked out of existence before she could finish the question.

Kasius took a hesitant step towards Sinara, to the real her.“I’m - this isn’t what - how did you get in here?”

“Darling?”Sinara echoed. She had never uttered that word, she was sure. She’d never worn his shirt, either.“What is going on, Kasius?”

He shrugged, a little helpless, terrifyingly lost for words.

“Are you losing it?”she pressed.

Perhaps not really tactful but the only explanation that made any sort of sense.

They’d ruined half the papers on his desk just a few hours ago, a pen crushed under Sinara’s shoulder blade and ink going everywhere. And now he was in a simulation with her half-naked virtual double.

Kasius’ tongue darted out to wet his lips; he stepped closer to her.“I didn’t want to freak you out. Or make you uncomfortable.”

Sinara tilted her head to the side, watching the nervous twitch in his cheek.

She waited for him to confess whatever twisted desire it was that he could only ask of her when she wasn’t really there. He failed to elaborate.

“With what?”she asked.

He was paling under her gaze, like he’d rather die than answer.

There were wine glasses still on the table and the double had worn his shirt and the echoes of ‘darling’ still rang in her ears.

Not so twisted, then, perhaps.

“With what, Kasius?”she pressed. The whole situation was uncomfortable enough without her making a fool of herself by making assumptions. Assumptions that had her heart beating a frantic rhythm even now.

“I know you’re not inclined to listen to my - ” He pulled a face as he picked his words.“ - overly emotional ramblings.”

She’d accused him of that only once and she wouldn’t particularly mind these days, but she didn’t protest as he continued,“And as you never tire of reminding me, I have an inability to keep my thoughts to myself for extended periods. So I’m getting them out.”

Now he actually was rambling, too fast and an odd pitch to his voice.“I thought it would suit you just fine -”

“To be replaced by a programme?”she interrupted. It came out wrong. Too accusatory. Too  _ upset. _

Kasius fell silent, eyes softening. He reached for her hand and she let him.“A pale imitation. Just to get my thoughts sorted. I’m well aware it’s not real.”

His thumb was drawing circles on the back of her hand as he waited for her to respond.

She looked down at their hands rather than meet his eyes.

“You could’ve just talked to me,”she said eventually.

Kasius snorted.“Sinara. You won’t even stay the night.”

Her head snapped back up and she glared at him.“You never ask me to.”

Surprise flashed across his face. Clearly, it had never occurred to him.

“Would you stay?” It was barely a whisper.“If I asked?”

“Guess you’ll have to ask sometime and find out,”she said, a smirk spreading across her face.“Real life’s sadly not programmable.”

“I’ll take that chance,”Kasius said.

He leaned in and kissed her, slow and soft and far more innocent than they were used to.

Sinara melted into it readily, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer.

Kasius dropped his forehead to hers when they broke the kiss; she had a horrifying suspicion her own smile was about as sappy as his.

“Let’s get out of here,”she said.“Back to a level that doesn’t reek of Terrans.”

He chuckled, kissing her again. “How about a bubble bath to wash the stench off?”

“So long as you can refrain from adding in rose petals,”she quipped.

(He couldn’t, but she didn’t actually mind, and she stayed the night, anyway.)


End file.
